'I used to be a batsman, believe it or not!'
Since returning to the Pakistan team after the World Cup, the lanky Shabbir Ahmed has been one of Pakistan's most consistent and incisive pace bowlers
Osman Samiuddin
22-Dec-2004
Since returning to Pakistan's team after the World Cup, the lanky Shabbir Ahmed has been one of their most consistent pacemen. He's not as quick as Shoaib Akhtar or Mohammad Sami, but his bounce and movement poses problems. But then he had a double setback: his bowling action was reported, and he suffered a serious knee injury. Shabbir, 28, tells us about the injury, his action, and his early cricket career:
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What's the latest on your knee injury?
It's a lot better now. Basically there was a fracture in the area, but it's pretty much OK now.
It's a lot better now. Basically there was a fracture in the area, but it's pretty much OK now.
At the recent camp for the Australian tour, did you feel you were fully fit?
No, I don't think I was. I knew that myself.
No, I don't think I was. I knew that myself.
It must have been frustrating for you to have missed out on such a big tour?
It is extremely frustrating. I was really looking forward to bowling on the pitches over there. The extra bounce and pace they offer would have really suited my bowling. I have never played there before, but have always wanted to. I am aiming to be fit and ready for the VB Series after the Tests, though. In a couple of weeks I will be bowling at 100%; at the moment I'd say I'm about 60-70% there.
It is extremely frustrating. I was really looking forward to bowling on the pitches over there. The extra bounce and pace they offer would have really suited my bowling. I have never played there before, but have always wanted to. I am aiming to be fit and ready for the VB Series after the Tests, though. In a couple of weeks I will be bowling at 100%; at the moment I'd say I'm about 60-70% there.
You went to South Africa for treatment to your injury, didn't you?
The operation on my knee was carried out there, and the day afterwards they started my training and rehabilitation. The doctors gave me a training regime to stick to, which I followed for a couple of months, and now I am on a regimen with doctors in Pakistan.
The operation on my knee was carried out there, and the day afterwards they started my training and rehabilitation. The doctors gave me a training regime to stick to, which I followed for a couple of months, and now I am on a regimen with doctors in Pakistan.
Before the injury you'd made quite an impact with the Pakistan team since you came back after the World Cup. Are you happy with your performances since then?
No, I am not too happy. I know I could have taken more wickets and performed better than I have done. Now with the injury it's been extremely frustrating, especially because I felt I was getting into some sort of bowling rhythm. It will take me some time to get into that groove again, so that has been disappointing.
No, I am not too happy. I know I could have taken more wickets and performed better than I have done. Now with the injury it's been extremely frustrating, especially because I felt I was getting into some sort of bowling rhythm. It will take me some time to get into that groove again, so that has been disappointing.
What have been your personal highlights over the last year?
There have been a few. One was getting Tendulkar out in the Peshawar one-dayer in March. But the one that really stands out is the Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington at the start of the year. It was a great win as it came from nowhere, and I bowled well with Shoaib in the second innings. I got two wickets then, and three in the first as well. I really enjoyed my bowling in that match even though I bowled constantly into the wind. It is such a windy venue, I don't think I had experienced anything like it before. Everyone refused to bowl from one end because it was so windy, so I said I would. My lowest point has been this injury, without a doubt.
There have been a few. One was getting Tendulkar out in the Peshawar one-dayer in March. But the one that really stands out is the Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington at the start of the year. It was a great win as it came from nowhere, and I bowled well with Shoaib in the second innings. I got two wickets then, and three in the first as well. I really enjoyed my bowling in that match even though I bowled constantly into the wind. It is such a windy venue, I don't think I had experienced anything like it before. Everyone refused to bowl from one end because it was so windy, so I said I would. My lowest point has been this injury, without a doubt.
How do you view your own role in the team? Do you see yourself as a strike bowler or a stock one supporting Sami and Shoaib?
Basically, whatever my role is - opening the bowling, first change - it has to be in the team interests. I prefer whatever is beneficial to the team.
Basically, whatever my role is - opening the bowling, first change - it has to be in the team interests. I prefer whatever is beneficial to the team.
Do you ever get into a pace race with the likes of Sami and Shoaib?
I think it is important to look at the conditions you are playing in. Take Australia for example. Over there you don't need express pace, you concentrate on your line and length because the pitches generally will give you the bounce and the pace. But sometimes you come across a pitch where there is no bounce or pace, and you just have to put in that extra effort to extract both. Generally, I find it best to stick to within my own limits and not try and exceed it too much, because it can go wrong then.
I think it is important to look at the conditions you are playing in. Take Australia for example. Over there you don't need express pace, you concentrate on your line and length because the pitches generally will give you the bounce and the pace. But sometimes you come across a pitch where there is no bounce or pace, and you just have to put in that extra effort to extract both. Generally, I find it best to stick to within my own limits and not try and exceed it too much, because it can go wrong then.
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You were cited for a suspect action at the start of this year in New Zealand, for the second time in your career. When you played against India after that, you seemed nervous. Was that because of the pressure you were under over your action?
I had changed my action a little when I played against India. I wasn't nervous, but because there was a little adjustment it took me some time to get my rhythm back. But by the time of the Asia Cup and the one-day tri-series in Holland, I felt much better with the action, and I bowled better as well.
I had changed my action a little when I played against India. I wasn't nervous, but because there was a little adjustment it took me some time to get my rhythm back. But by the time of the Asia Cup and the one-day tri-series in Holland, I felt much better with the action, and I bowled better as well.
What sort of things were you working on with Daryl Foster in Australia?
Actually when he first saw me he thought my action was OK. Bruce Elliott was also there at the University of Western Australia. They made me bowl in the nets for the first two days and said they couldn't see anything wrong with it. They were recording my action from the back and side-on. I then insisted that you make a video from front-on, and from there they took me to the biomechanics lab. They found that there was a bend of about 12-13 degrees, but after some tinkering with my action it came down to about 8-9 degrees. Also they said that not only my height [6ft 5ins] but also my long arms means that there will be some flexion in my action.
Actually when he first saw me he thought my action was OK. Bruce Elliott was also there at the University of Western Australia. They made me bowl in the nets for the first two days and said they couldn't see anything wrong with it. They were recording my action from the back and side-on. I then insisted that you make a video from front-on, and from there they took me to the biomechanics lab. They found that there was a bend of about 12-13 degrees, but after some tinkering with my action it came down to about 8-9 degrees. Also they said that not only my height [6ft 5ins] but also my long arms means that there will be some flexion in my action.
The first time you were cited, a few years ago, you worked with Michael Holding. Was it a similar problem then?
It was. Holding also told me that there wasn't much wrong with the action, but he worked on basically the same sort of things. The problem was that at that time there was so much competition in the Pakistan team for pacemen, with Shoaib, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis etc, that I found it difficult to get back in the team for some time.
It was. Holding also told me that there wasn't much wrong with the action, but he worked on basically the same sort of things. The problem was that at that time there was so much competition in the Pakistan team for pacemen, with Shoaib, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis etc, that I found it difficult to get back in the team for some time.
When you made your debut you were considerably quicker than you are now. Is the reduction in pace a deliberate thing?
Over time, I just started paying more attention to my line and length, because I feel it is more important. To do that it was necessary for me to cut down a little on the pace.
Over time, I just started paying more attention to my line and length, because I feel it is more important. To do that it was necessary for me to cut down a little on the pace.
When you were out of the team, did you worry that you might not get back in, given the competition and the tendency for selection to be inconsistent?
I always thought that as long as I am performing domestically and working hard then I stood a chance. After that if it is fated that I am picked then great, but if not, then hey, I'm still playing cricket for a living and that isn't too bad. Also I was lucky because I played a few times against Aamer Sohail, who was still playing at the time. He was impressed, and when he became a selector he remembered me and recalled me for trials after the World Cup.
I always thought that as long as I am performing domestically and working hard then I stood a chance. After that if it is fated that I am picked then great, but if not, then hey, I'm still playing cricket for a living and that isn't too bad. Also I was lucky because I played a few times against Aamer Sohail, who was still playing at the time. He was impressed, and when he became a selector he remembered me and recalled me for trials after the World Cup.
How did you get your break into cricket?
Like so many youngsters I used to play just in gallis [lanes] and stuff. I eventually started playing for the King Al-Faisal club in Khanewal, near Multan, where the ex-Test player Masood Anwar spotted me. I used to be a batsman, believe it or not, and a pretty good one! But Anwar suggested, given my height, that I should try bowling. I did, and impressed him, so he took me with him to play for the more prominent Multan Cricket Club. I started going there every day for nets and playing in their games. Then I played in a floodlight tournament in 1997, and in the semi-finals against WAPDA [Water and Power Development Authority], who were a big domestic team, I got four wickets as we won the game. That result really grabbed the headlines as we were a small club and we beat a big team.
Like so many youngsters I used to play just in gallis [lanes] and stuff. I eventually started playing for the King Al-Faisal club in Khanewal, near Multan, where the ex-Test player Masood Anwar spotted me. I used to be a batsman, believe it or not, and a pretty good one! But Anwar suggested, given my height, that I should try bowling. I did, and impressed him, so he took me with him to play for the more prominent Multan Cricket Club. I started going there every day for nets and playing in their games. Then I played in a floodlight tournament in 1997, and in the semi-finals against WAPDA [Water and Power Development Authority], who were a big domestic team, I got four wickets as we won the game. That result really grabbed the headlines as we were a small club and we beat a big team.
And so then you started playing for them?
Yes - the WAPDA manager and coach, Zafar Peerzada and Amjad Siddiq, approached me and said I should play for them. So when they held a camp for trials later in the year they called me down to try out. I got selected, and made my first-class debut that season in the Patron's Trophy against PIA at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. I got four wickets in my first four overs, including the ex-Test players Shoaib Mohammad and Aamer Malik. Yousuf Youhana was also making his debut for WAPDA in that game. Because it was at Gaddafi Stadium, there were board members and selectors watching, so that helped. I took more wickets later in the tournament and got called up for a Pakistan camp. I didn't get selected for the team then, but from then on I kept getting called up for national camps for the next year and a half. I kept performing domestically as well, and then eventually got picked for the Pakistan team to Toronto for the DMC Trophy in 1999.
Yes - the WAPDA manager and coach, Zafar Peerzada and Amjad Siddiq, approached me and said I should play for them. So when they held a camp for trials later in the year they called me down to try out. I got selected, and made my first-class debut that season in the Patron's Trophy against PIA at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. I got four wickets in my first four overs, including the ex-Test players Shoaib Mohammad and Aamer Malik. Yousuf Youhana was also making his debut for WAPDA in that game. Because it was at Gaddafi Stadium, there were board members and selectors watching, so that helped. I took more wickets later in the tournament and got called up for a Pakistan camp. I didn't get selected for the team then, but from then on I kept getting called up for national camps for the next year and a half. I kept performing domestically as well, and then eventually got picked for the Pakistan team to Toronto for the DMC Trophy in 1999.
Do you remember your debut well?
Definitely, it was against the West Indies and I got Adrian Griffiths, Chris Gayle and Ricardo Powell. I was quick but I also gave away a lot of extras - eight wides and a few no-balls as well.
Definitely, it was against the West Indies and I got Adrian Griffiths, Chris Gayle and Ricardo Powell. I was quick but I also gave away a lot of extras - eight wides and a few no-balls as well.
Who's been the biggest influence on your career?
There are two or three people. Sarfraz Nawaz, Dr Tauseef Razzak [the team physio] who worked with me a lot on my fitness etc, and Aamer Sohail as well. Sarfraz called me up to one of his pace camps from where many quick bowlers came out. He helped me a lot with my grip and basic technique.
There are two or three people. Sarfraz Nawaz, Dr Tauseef Razzak [the team physio] who worked with me a lot on my fitness etc, and Aamer Sohail as well. Sarfraz called me up to one of his pace camps from where many quick bowlers came out. He helped me a lot with my grip and basic technique.
What are your immediate plans for the future?
I just want to get back into the team as soon as possible. We have three or four very important series coming up soon, and I want to make sure I am fit and ready. It's simple, I just want to take as many wickets as possible for Pakistan, and play as many matches as possible.
I just want to get back into the team as soon as possible. We have three or four very important series coming up soon, and I want to make sure I am fit and ready. It's simple, I just want to take as many wickets as possible for Pakistan, and play as many matches as possible.
Osman Samiuddin is a freelance writer based in Karachi.